The Christmas 2021 Thread | Page 2 | Vital Football

The Christmas 2021 Thread

Paid over £400 to take Buddy to Lapland UK.

Just logged on to check when invitations get sent out and they're on their way apparently.

We're going with friends... Actually they booked it.... And got Buddy's surname wrong! Fucks sake. £400 for a personalised experience and it's going to be addressed to the wrong name.

I'm fucking livid.

But as its Buddy's best friend and we get on well with the parents I'm going to have to pretend it's fine and they shouldn't worry...

But I'm fucking livid.

1st World Problems I know but it's a lot of money and a big part of the whole experience is the personalised invitation from Santa. And now it's not addressed to him. Grrr...
 
DeanoVilla said:
Paid over £400 to take Buddy to Lapland UK.

Just logged on to check when invitations get sent out and they're on their way apparently.

We're going with friends... Actually they booked it.... And got Buddy's surname wrong! Fucks sake. £400 for a personalised experience and it's going to be addressed to the wrong name.

I'm fucking livid.

But as its Buddy's best friend and we get on well with the parents I'm going to have to pretend it's fine and they shouldn't worry...

But I'm fucking livid.

1st World Problems I know but it's a lot of money and a big part of the whole experience is the personalised invitation from Santa. And now it's not addressed to him. Grrr...
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I'd get in touch, explain, and see if they can sort a fresh print out.
 
I genuinely think it is lovely for those that enjoy it, I just don't get a buzz from it. Don't hate it like I used to, to be fair, just find it drags on far too long and is a bit of a bore for me. Must be tops with kids etc, used to love seeing my nephew and niece open their pressies and what not.
 
Hate the pressure people put on themselves and others over it to make this ‘perfect‘ little event. It’s ridiculous . My pet hate thing is someone asking me to do something ‘because it’s Xmas’.

Fuck off. I’ll see people , go out, do something when I want any time of year I don’t need a religious festival (Because it is a little known fact in all the gluttony that Xmas is a religious event) that I don’t believe in to do it.
 
The Fear said:
I genuinely think it is lovely for those that enjoy it, I just don't get a buzz from it. Don't hate it like I used to, to be fair, just find it drags on far too long and is a bit of a bore for me. Must be tops with kids etc, used to love seeing my nephew and niece open their pressies and what not.
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What was it like when you were growing up Fear, if you don't mind me asking?

I had a theory that it was all based around how your family is but one of my brothers just doesnt care for it so much. I love it, I get right into it and I get that from my mom. One of my brothers just doesnt care too much about it. My GF had a dysfunctional upbringing so she's not crazy about it. Yet she see's its important to me and I've slowly chipped away at her over the years. Its still not her favourite holiday but she's definitely started to do more each year.

I still think its a big factor but its definitely not the driving force. My brother seems to be much more like you. He loves it for our niece and nephew, and he likes to give people gifts but he couldnt careless about "traditional" Christmas stuff other than watching Jingle All the Way. Between that and the big dinner that is as traditional as it gets for him.

I can relate to the "dragging" on of things now that I live away and come home for Christmas. In general I don't like to be home too long but Christmas is a rough one because my choices are limited to drinking or staying home. When I am at home at Christmas I just feel like I am existing after awhile. Oddly its the closest I've come to depression over the last few years. Travelling + the drinking and expectations + the allergy to the cat home really took it out of me a few times.

This is turning into a stream of consciousness but I am looking forward to being home this time around because COVID has given me the excuse to book an AirBNB. I dont have to be around the cat (I take medication for it now thankfully), being outside the house increases my independence and I think it just helps reduce any expectations I am putting on myself.
 
CDX_EIRE said:
What was it like when you were growing up Fear, if you don't mind me asking?
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Perfect, couldn't have asked for better parents or grandparents, lovely times. Very fond memories.

I still think its a big factor but its definitely not the driving force. My brother seems to be much more like you. He loves it for our niece and nephew, and he likes to give people gifts but he couldnt careless about "traditional" Christmas stuff other than watching Jingle All the Way. Between that and the big dinner that is as traditional as it gets for him.
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Part of it is definitely the dragging it out too long, but like your brother sounds, I'm not a big one for traditions, I don't really like being told what day I should be doing what on, how I should be feeling etc. But also, feel Xmas has drifted from what it was, to something far more materialistic. Not that I went short of presents as a kid.

I think, without being too heavy, a lot of it is just me, Xmas is a sentimental time, I don't have kids (was busy having brain ops etc really) or now grandkids to 'live the times through' and my nephew/niece are grown up (and brilliant!). But also, for years, it was the looking back at the old me and happy days, and the new iller version I guess. I can keep on a nice level, try not to get down about things in life, but hard to get 'high' on things in life. Just keep at a level and I find I amble along fine. But I am more relaxed about it all now, have it compartmentalised in my old noggin, make sure mom and dad are ok and that's all fine.

I do think it is a time where the old dears would fall out quite often, so that has something to do with it as well maybe, plus people killing themselves with stress to make things perfect and going on about hating it, but still doing all the 'stuff'. If you hate it, change it, make it what you want it to be!

I do remember one year being asked what I was doing Xmas day and me saying 'shoulders'.... they hadn't a clue, but it was on my training regime at the time and I saw no reason to not train on the day! lol
 
The Fear said:
Perfect, couldn't have asked for better parents or grandparents, lovely times. Very fond memories.

Part of it is definitely the dragging it out too long, but like your brother sounds, I'm not a big one for traditions, I don't really like being told what day I should be doing what on, how I should be feeling etc. But also, feel Xmas has drifted from what it was, to something far more materialistic. Not that I went short of presents as a kid.

I do remember one year being asked what I was doing Xmas day and me saying 'shoulders'.... they hadn't a clue, but it was on my training regime at the time and I saw no reason to not train on the day! lol
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Sounds like my brother too, if the gym was open he'd probably go christmas morning too. I definitely struggle with some christmas expectations. I had crippling anxiety one year and had to go to my oldest Brothers house and I really didnt want to. Granted I was anxious so it actually ended up probably being the best thing for me to do. I do remember how much worse I made it for myself by building up that I needed to be a certain way and do certain things.

I actually think you've given me advice before my time there in your post "make it what you want it to be". I worry about the missus in the future, I fear the two of us will get into the "killing ourselves" territory. In her strides to make it "better than her childhood", I can see both of us going over the top. Her making demand, me trying to meet it because thats what I should do.
 
CDX_EIRE said:
Sounds like my brother too, if the gym was open he'd probably go christmas morning too. I definitely struggle with some christmas expectations. I had crippling anxiety one year and had to go to my oldest Brothers house and I really didnt want to. Granted I was anxious so it actually ended up probably being the best thing for me to do. I do remember how much worse I made it for myself by building up that I needed to be a certain way and do certain things.

I actually think you've given me advice before my time there in your post "make it what you want it to be". I worry about the missus in the future, I fear the two of us will get into the "killing ourselves" territory. In her strides to make it "better than her childhood", I can see both of us going over the top. Her making demand, me trying to meet it because thats what I should do.
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I always think the organised events are rarely the best ones, the best ones are the off the cuff stuff, where expectations aren't sky high!
 
Apparently there will be a shortage of Turkey’s this year. Cue the great British public in meltdown and talk of Xmas being cancelled.

If only.

Nah, only joking on the last bit. But I would like to see it being a time of less excess and people chill the F out and concentrate on being with friends and family and less about material things and over doing their means.
 
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Well Mrs P will be working on Xmas Day (double time) as she works in a Nursing Home, so at least we're guaranteed the 27th off, which will be our 7th Wedding Anniversary.

She'll definitely be having more fun than me on Xmas Day that's for sure.
 
Turkey is the worst part of Xmas anyway.

I much prefer a nice beef joint, or I'd even happily just do all the trimmings with no joint. As long as there's roasties, parsnips and pigs in blankets I'm happy
 
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